The goal of this investigator is to study the antigens particularly lipopolysaccharrides and proteins, associated with the other membrane of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Bactericidal antibodies have been shown to develop in women who have clinically severe pelvic inflammatory disease; these antibodies have also been demonstrated in the sera of women with prolonged uncomplicated mucosal infection. These antibodies have not been detected in many patients with disseminated infection who have dermatitis and tenosynovitis but are usually present in those who have suppurative arthritis, despeite resistance of many of these strains to the bactericidal action of normal human sera. Gonococcal outer membrane lipopolysaccharides have been shown to specifically inhibit bactericidal antibodies in immune sera and outer membrane proteins from serum-resistant gonococci have been shown to bind antibodies that inhibit (or block) the expression of bactericidal activity. Outer membrane antigens and their derivatives will be harvested from large batches of organisms. Chemical and physical techniques will be used to isolate, purify and characterize the antigens. Highly sensitive immunologic assays will be developed and employed to detect antibodies directed against important antigens. Antibody responses in patients with gonorrhea will be examined for antigenic specificity and functional activity. Specific interactions of gonococcal antigens with antibody and complement will be examined to characterize the effect of antigen diversity upon different clinical syndromes produced by N. gonorrhoeae. The serologic specificity of cell wall lipopolysaccharides and their derivatives will be studied in attempts to develop a serologic typing scheme for N. gonorrhoeae. Important clinical and epidemiologic questions will be answered by jointly identifying gonococcal antigens and their corresponding immunologic activity. Antigens that might elicit a protective response to infection will be identified and if suitable, will be studied for use as a vaccine.